Foot coupling device for a bicycle pedal

ABSTRACT

An inner side upper foot coupling device for a bicycle pedal is provided made of a cylindrical rod. The coupling device has a middle portion that is U-shaped, two poles having different lengths connected to the middle portion and bases connecting to the poles for attachment to a bicycle pedal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of patent application Ser. No 11/893,838, Filed 2007 Aug. 16, now abandoned.

Patent application Ser. No. 11/893,838 claims the benefit of the patent application Ser. No. 11/890,848, Filed 2007 Aug. 08, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,040.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field Of Invention

This invention relates to a bicycle pedal attachment device made from a cylindrical rod.

Prior Art

Currently, there are special bicycle pedals which allow people to pull in addition to push, using their foot. These special pedals include pedals with straps, pedals with straps and toe clips, and pedals that require a special shoe to engage at the sole. However, many people choose not to use these special pedals to ride a bicycle, they choose to use a regular bicycle pedal that is limited only to pushing, because:

a) people do not feel confident enough that once their foot is engaged with one of the special pedals, they can disengage their foot fast enough during an emergency to avoid a bicycle accident, and/or

b) pedals that require special shoes are expensive and not user friendly.

Objects and Advantages

The object of the present invention is to provide a new solution to improve push and pull bicycle pedaling. Compared to the prior art, the present invention allows push and pull bicycle pedaling to be more fun and safer by providing the following advantages:

1. providing a better upper foot coupling device that is more comfortable for a foot to apply an upward force,

2. providing a better upper foot coupling device that has more space for a foot to disengage,

3. providing a more user friendly upper foot coupling device so a user can operate a bicycle wearing sneakers,

4. providing a better upper foot coupling device that allows a user to step into the pedal more comfortably,

5. providing a better upper foot coupling device that is easier and cheaper to manufacture, and

6. providing a better upper foot coupling device that may be used for indoor cycling as well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is made from a bent cylindrical rod with threading at both ends. The bent rod has a U-shaped structure which has a bend at either end of the U-shape, followed by two poles having unequal length, each of the poles being longer than the U-shaped portion. The poles continue with bases in the substantially the same direction as the poles. The bases are designed to be inserted into a bicycle pedal having two holes stand close to inner side of the pedal body.

DRAWING—FIGURES

FIG. 1 a is an exploded view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 91 and pedal 82.

FIG. 1 b is a perspective view on the inner side upper foot coupling device 91 attached to pedal 82.

FIG. 1 c is a side view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 91.

FIG. 1 d is a front view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 91.

FIG. 2 a is a front view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 92.

FIG. 2 b is a perspective view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 92.

FIG. 2 c is a side view of the inner side upper foot coupling device 92.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   91 inner side upper foot coupling device (first embodiment) -   92 inner side upper foot coupling device (second embodiment) -   82 pedal -   39 pedal body -   23 recess -   16 a, 16 b, 17 b, 17 a, 18 U-shaped portion -   15 a, 15 b quarter circle curves -   14 a shorter pole -   14 b longer pole -   11 a, 11 b vertical bases or threading or two ends -   7 a, 7 b holes -   1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d hex nuts

First Embodiment

The inner side upper foot coupling device 91 is made from a bend cylindrical rod with threading 11 a and 11 b at both ends as interlocking means to attach to a pedal. The middle portion of the rod is a U-shaped portion 16 a, 16 b, 17 a, 17 b, 18, smoothly continued by two large inward bend quarter circle curves 15 a and 15 b, said curves smoothly continued by a shorter pole 14 a and a longer pole 14 b at each side to form the standing portions. The two unequal length poles each 16 degrees off perpendicular to said U-shaped portion. Poles 14 a and 14 b continued by bases 11 a and 11 b at the ends without bending. The threading 11 a and 11 b on bases 11 a and 11 b are parallel and symmetry to each other. The length of the threading at the bases 11 a and 11 b can be longer and thus allow U-shaped portion 16 a, 16 b, 17 a, 17 b, 18 to be fixed at a lower height on pedal 82.

In FIGS. 1 c and 1 d, member 14 a and 14 b can define a plane perpendicular to U-shaped portion 16 a, 16 b, 17 a, 17 b, 18. The cover of the U-shaped structure from the poles is significantly shorter than the length of the poles 14 a and 14 b; this is to assume the large quarter circle curves 15 a and 15 b are small right angle curves.

FIG. 1 a shows the upper foot coupling device 91 is positioned on top and close to inner side of bicycle pedal 82. Bases 11 a, 11 b are respectively pointing at holes 7 a and 7 b in recess 23. Hex nuts 1 a, 1 c, and 1 b, 1 d are respectively line up to holes 7 a and 7 b, ready to secure onto threading 11 a, 11 b that emerge from holes 7 a and 7 b. FIG. 1 b shows foot coupling device 91 fully inserted into bicycle pedal 82 and secured by hex nuts 1 a, 1 c and 1 b, 1 d on pedal 82. Washers can be added in between the hex nuts for improve security.

Bicycle pedal 82 comprising, pedal shaft, pedal body 39, and holes 7 a and 7 b close to inner side of the pedal body. Holes 7 a and 7 b sandwiching the pedal shaft and stand perpendicular to the pedal shaft. Holes 7 a and 7 b allow insertion and attachment of vertical bases 11 a and 11 b of foot coupling device 91.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 2 c show foot coupling device 92 is made from a bent cylindrical shaped rod with threading 11 a and 11 b at the ends. The bases 11 a and 11 b of foot coupling device 92 is also designed to insert and attach to a bicycle pedal 82 having two holes 7 a and 7 b stand close to inner side of the pedal.

In general, the bent rod 92 comprises a U-shaped structure 16 a, 17 a, 18, 17 b, 16 b in the middle portion of the rod, two large inwardly bent curves 15 a and 15 b, respectively, continue with a shorter pole 14 a and a longer pole 14 b forming the standing portions, and two parallel bases 11 a and 11 b at ends respectively extend from said two poles in the substantially the same direction as said two poles.

Specifically, U-shaped structure 16 a, 17 a, 18, 17 b, 16 b is lying on a plane perpendicular to pole 14 a and pole 14 b; bases 11 a and 11 b are parallel and they are 25 degrees off parallel to poles 14 a and 14 b; said bases and said poles are lying on a single plane; base 11 b is longer than base 11 a; the threading on both ends are equal; and a perpendicular line can be drawn across the two bases to intersect the end of the threading at both sides; said perpendicular line is closer to a side of the U-shaped structure that continues with the shorter pole, i.e. 14 a. 

1. An inner side upper foot coupling device for a bicycle pedal made from a cylindrical rod comprising: a) a middle portion of said rod having a U-shaped structure; each end of said U-shaped structure ending in a bend; b) two portions of said rod having different lengths, non-contiguous with one another, each of the two portions continuing one of the bends at each end of the U-shaped structure, said two portions extending the same direction from the U-shaped structure to form standing portions; wherein said U-shaped structure extends in the same direction from each of said standing portions to form a cover, said cover being shorter than each of the standing portions; and c) two ends of said rod comprising interlocking means, wherein said two ends are respectively arranged each of said two portions and extend from said two portions in the substantially the same direction as said standing portions, wherein said two ends are parallel to one another and are fixed in a parallel position without causing deformation to said U-shaped structure; and wherein said interlocking means on said two ends define a line perpendicularly across said two ends, wherein said line is closer to a portion of the U-shaped structure at a side where the U-shaped structure is connected the portion of the two portions being shorter in length than a side of the U-shaped structure connected to the portion of the two portions being longer in length.
 2. The inner side upper foot coupling device of claim 1, wherein said interlocking means comprises threading.
 3. The inner side upper foot coupling device of claim 1, wherein said two portions of said rod are substantially parallel to one another.
 4. The inner side upper foot coupling device of claim 1, wherein said two portions of said rod define a plane substantially perpendicular to said U-shaped structure.
 5. The inner side upper foot coupling device of claim 1 wherein said U-shaped structure define a plane substantially perpendicular to each of said two portions. 